Apr 18 2023

Rhode Island: $8.7 Million in Legal Marijuana Sold in March, $23.5 Million So Far in 2023

In March there was $8.7 million in legal marijuana and marijuana products sold in Rhode Island, according to data released by the state’s Department of Business Regulations.

In March there was $5,381,556.56 in recreational marijuana sold at licensed retail outlets. This is in addition to the $3,359,873.02 in medical marijuana sold during the same period. In terms of recreational marijuana sales, the numbers for March are the highest since the start of legal sales in December.

The total legal marijuana sales in Rhode Island Between December 1, 2022 (the start of legal sales) and March 31, 2023 is $30,965,333.
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Apr 17 2023

Minnesota Senate Taxes Committee Passes Marijuana Legalization Bill

Minnesota’s Senate Taxes Committee has advanced a measure that will make marijuana legal for all uses, with just one more committee vote needed before it can reach the Senate floor.

Passage of SF 73 through the Taxes Committee comes the same day as the House Ways and Means Committee passed companion bill HB 100, the 15th committee to do so, allowing it to receive a forthcoming vote by the full chamber.

The legislation would legalize the personal possession of up to two ounces of marijuana if you’re at least 21 years old. The cultivation of up to eight plants would also be allowed at personal residencies.
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Apr 17 2023

Bipartisan Federal Bill Introduced to Provide Tax Relief for Legal Marijuana Businesses

Members of the US House of Representatives have introduced the Small Business Tax Equity Act, meant to level the playing field for legal cannabis businesses by normalizing their federal taxes.

The Small Business Tax Equity Act provides an exemption for state-licensed cannabis businesses from federal tax code 280E. That particular code explicitly prevents anyone involved in the distribution of a federally prohibited substances from deducting business expenses, even if the substance they sell is legal under state law. The bill was filed by Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), David Joyce (R-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Nancy Mace (R-SC).

“NORML commends the sponsors of this legislation for their efforts to end the unjust federal overtaxation of licensed, state-regulated cannabis businesses throughout the country,” said NORML Political Director Morgan Fox. “Allowing them to take the same federal tax deductions that most other businesses enjoy will facilitate new opportunities in the legal cannabis industry and make it more competitive with the unregulated market, which will directly benefit consumer health and public safety.”
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Apr 17 2023

North Carolina Legislation Filed to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

Legislation to legalize recreational marijuana was filed today in the North Carolina House of Representatives.

House Bill 626 was filed by State Representative Johnnie Autry along with three cosponsors – Representatives Kelly Alexander, Mary Harrison and Zack Forde-Hawkins. The law would allow those 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of marijuana flower, 15 grams of marijuana concentrates and  2,000 milligrams of THC worth of infused-products, which they could purchase from licensed marijuana retail outlets. The personal cultivation of up to six marijuana plants would also be allowed.

“Cannabis prohibition, like alcohol prohibition before it, has been a wasteful and destructive failure”, states the preamble to the bill. “About half of Americans admit to having used cannabis despite more than eight decades of prohibition.”
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Apr 17 2023

Minnesota Marijuana Legalization Bill Passed by 15th House Committee, Sent to Full House

Minnesota legislation to legalize recreational marijuana is finally heading to the House floor after being approved by its 15th committee.

Today the House Ways and Means Committee approved House Bill 100 on a voice vote, making it the 15th House committee to do so. This finally sends it to the House floor, where it is expected to receive a vote before the end of the legislative session in May.

A companion bill, SF 73, needs just two more committee votes before it can be voted on by the full Senate. The Senate Taxes Committee is expected to vote on the measure later today.
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Apr 16 2023

Australia: 37% Have Tried Marijuana, Legalizing It Would Save $1.2 Billion Annually

If Australia were to legalize marijuana they would save $1.2 billion each year, which doesn’t account for the potential billions that could be made in new taxes.

This is according to the Cannabis in Australia report by Penington Institute. The report also found that more than a third of Australians aged over 14 have used cannabis at least once, 37% of the population (7.6 million people).

The report found that over a recent two year period Australia spent $1.7 billion on law enforcement costs, including $1.1 billion on imprisonment, $475 million on police, $62 million on courts, $52 million on legal aid and prosecution, and $25 million on community corrections.
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Apr 16 2023

Maine Marijuana Prices Down Nearly 50% Since 2020

The cost of legal marijuana has seen a substantial drop since the start of legal sales in 2020.

According to data compiled and released by the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy, the average price of marijuana throughout the state as of the end of March was $8.04. This marks a 49% decrease from the average price of $15.83 at the start of legal recreational marijuana sales in 2020.

Prices in other legal marijuana states have seen similar drops. For example, as of the end of February in Massachusetts, marijuana was priced at $7.12, an identical-to-Maine 49% decrease from the $14.09 at the start of legal sales in late 2018.
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Apr 16 2023

A Study Found Infants With Marijuana in Their System Had Drastically Decreased Mortality Rates

In the biggest study of its kind, published in the journal Pediatrics (the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics), infants that tested positive for marijuana had a massive decrease in their likelihood of early mortality.

In the study of 2,964 infants, those that were drug-negative had an average mortality rate of 15.7 deaths per 1,000 live births. Cocaine and opiate-positive infants had a mortality rate of 17.7 and 18.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. However, those that tested positive for cannabis had an average mortality rate of 8.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, a 44% decrease in comparison to the infants that were drug-negative.

Of the babies who tested positive for only cannabis, and no other substance (157 babies total), there was not a single death during the course of the study.
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Apr 15 2023

Colorado House Approves Measure to Allow Online Marijuana Sales and Deliveries

Colorado legislation to allow marijuana stores to sell marijuana and marijuana products online, while also allowing them to deliver it, has been passed by the state’s House of Representatives.

(Photo Credit: AdobeStock)

According to the official summary of House Bill 1279, “Current law prohibits a licensed retail marijuana store from selling retail marijuana or retail marijuana products over the internet or through delivery. The bill repeals the prohibition.”

HB 1279 was filed by State Representatives William Lindstedt, Said Sharbini and Robert Rodriguez, and it will soon be sent to the Senate for consideration. If it can pass the Senate it will be sent to Governor Jared Polis who is expected to sign it into law if given the opportunity.
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Apr 15 2023

Report Finds Portland, Oregon is America’s Best City for Marijuana, Followed by Denver and Buffalo

According to a new report Portland, Oregon is America’s most cannabis-friendly city, followed by Denver, Colorado and Buffalo, New York.

The report, conducted by Real Estate Witch (an online publication from Clever Real Estate) and Leafly, analyzed various criteria including the legality of marijuana, dispensary data, marijuana prices, and more in order to determine the definitive list of the most cannabis-friendly cities. Topping the list of best marijuana cities is Portland, Oregon, with Birmingham, Alabama topping the list of worst cannabis cities.

According to the report Portland boasts the most affordable cannabis prices in the country, with a high-quality ounce costing just $210 — 34% less than the national average of $316. In contrast, the most expensive cannabis is in Washington, D.C., where an ounce of high-quality cannabis costs $590 — 87% more than average.
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